Likud minister Gamliel tests positive for coronavirus

Environmental protection minister becomes fourth member of Netanyahu's cabinet and the first high-profile official 'from the premier's party to contract the pathogen

Moran Azulay|
Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel revealed late Saturday evening she has tested positive for coronavirus.
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  • In a Twitter post, she said she is feeling well and hopes to recover soon.
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    השרה להגנת הסביבה, גילה גמליאל
    השרה להגנת הסביבה, גילה גמליאל
    Environmental Protection Minister Gila Gamliel
    On Friday, Gamliel posted a picture of herself in a sukkah from Sukkot celebrations last year, with the message, “This year we are celebrating in the sukkah with our close family, so that next year we can go back to hosting people.”
    It has not been reported yet if the minister came in contact with any other senior officials within either Likud or the government.
    Although she is the first Likud minister to catch the virus, she is not the first member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet to become ill with the disease.
    In August, Blue & White Immigration and Absorption Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata tested positive for the coronavirus.
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    יעקב ליצמן
    יעקב ליצמן
    Then-Health Minister Yaakov Litzman
    (Photo: Alex Kolomoisky)
    Tamano-Shata was followed by Jewish Home Jerusalem Affairs Minister Rafi Peretz and former Health Minister Yaakov Litzman of United Torah Judaism.
    Over the past few days, Israel saw over 9,000 new infections on a daily basis, with serious cases and deaths also spiking to new highs.
    In just the first three days of October alone, 118 patients have succumbed to the disease, putting the national death toll at 1,682.
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